What Happens In Mexico
by Zi Marquise
Summary: When someone threatens Carter on her vacation in Mexico, it's enough to stir up trouble in paradise. SJ. CHAPTER 8 NOW UP!
1. Chapter 1

_I've been working on this storyline for a little while, but have been busy at college. This has been floating around on my blog for a while now. _

_Disclaimer(s): I don't own Stargate Sg-1 or anything ELSE mentioned in the story._

The vacation package deals looked fantastic; tiki bars, grass skirts, beach sunsets, and a tired Samantha Carter looked at them with envy. Ever since she had graduated from the academy, Sam had been saving for her own dream vacation, but her allegiance to the SGC was hampering her every chance at peace, and the stress kept building up. Her recent break up with Pete; there went that engagement ring. Her father's death; Mark and Jacob had just seen eye-to-eye.

At that point, Sam had been drawn away from her spiral that would have ended with a mental breakdown of her emotions; she was always so close of completing the cycle. There was Daniel's sudden death and ascension and Jack's second encounter with the Ancient repository of knowledge; these almost sent her down the hole she was digging herself. Her 'good little soldier' mindset was the all that saved her, but she was afraid that it wouldn't save her from a triple punch.

Flipping the page, Sam noticed a scene that held a quiet bungalow with a hammock, complete with Tahitian feel: it was covered with bamboo, fake leaves, was on the beach, and it was where Sam wanted to be right now. Making her first small sound of a content sigh, Sam kept flipping through the pages and fell upon a Hawaii set location. Day dreaming took over and Sam barely heard the sound of boots behind her when a voice sprung her trained mind into action.

"So, whatcha doin', Carter?" a familiar voice asked and Sam jumped slightly, knocking her CO in the chin.

"Sir, I'm so sorry!" she said and realized Jack had been looking over her shoulder. Rubbing his chin, O'Neill peered at Carter curiously and spotted the vacation brochure, but not before he saw the gadget that littered her computer screen.

"You know Carter, that looks almost as interesting as that doo-hickey that SG-12 brought back from 991." Jack nodded towards the computer monitor.

"Sorry, sir, my mind is about one device away from exploding, so I decided to try and settle it by looking for a vacation spot to go to during our two weeks leave."

The Conspicuous Jack O'Neill eyebrow shot up. "You? Vacation? Wow..."

"I just... well... I need a break to clear my head."

"I know what you mean."

"Are you going to Minnesota?"

"Nah, I'm going to hang around here; Daniel needs to go car shopping!" Jack sat on the empty stool next to Sam.

"He mentioned that. The poor Cavalier has had it coming for a while now."

"He's going to the Ford lot across town."

"Fords? They're more trouble than they're worth, sir."

"I'm offended, Carter." Jack crossed his arms, "my truck has been no trouble at all!"

"There's always the exception to the rule." Carter smiled, looking from the screen to Jack, "You and General Hammond are going to be the only ones who know where I'm going."

"And why would that be necessary?"

"I don't want someone calling me to verify calculations and trying to get me to fix their mistakes. Especially Felger; he might follow me. I want to go to Cancun, lie in my hammock and feel the sunshine on my face."

"Good point." Jack checked his watch, "Wanna get some lunch? I'm starving."

"Sure," Carter turned off the monitor as Jack got up, wincing. "You okay?"

"Knee's been acting up. Nothing more than usual. Come on, pie and Jell-O wait."

Sam slid off the stool, her boots making a small thud as she nearly lost her balance. The lab door shut behind them as they walked side-by-side down the hall, Jack's hand on her back.

_So whatcha think? Review, and remember suggestions are always noted._


	2. Chapter 2

Carter sat on the oversized suitcase, trying to smash the absurd amount of clothing she'd packed into the case's small confines. Growling at the case, she forcefully pulled the zipper shut. The sides bulged, threatening to burst open and spill that which she had worked so hard to stuff. Letting out a deep breath, she flopped backwards onto the bed, covering her tired eyes with her hands. Silence. She sometimes hated that her house was so quiet. Nobody else was there. She was alone. She missed having someone over, Pete, her father. She held her breath as her mind fumbled over 'her father'. She still wasn't past it. Nope, the pain was still there, knocking at her heart. She sighed, holding her tears back and rolling onto her stomach. As she closed her eyes, the sound of O'Neill's diesel engine thundered outside her house. She didn't want him to see her like this. Wiping her eyes, she rolled onto her back.

"Carter, you in there?" O'Neill called from the front door.

"Back here, sir!" She didn't move; she was too tired to move. The steady and rhythmic thud of heavy footsteps on the hardwood flooring echoed through the hall, and they stopped as he appeared in her doorway.

"Whatcha doin' Carter?" he said, leaning against the door jamb, his hands in his coat pockets.

"Nothing, really." She lifted her hands from her eyes, moving her head to look at him. He was in his civvies; a pair of blue jeans, green button up shirt, and his heavy brown Carhartt jacket, "You?"

"Yeah, well…was in the neighborhood."

"Sir?" She questioned, really not believing that the Colonel was just driving around in a completely different neighborhood from his own and that just coincidentally he ended up in hers. _And pigs fly_, she snorted mentally.

"Jack." O'Neill pointed at himself, "Downtime started two hours ago."

"Jack." Carter said acidulously, smiling his playful tone.

"All set for that wonderful vacation?"

"Just finished packing."

"Um, Daniel and Janet are hosting team night tonight. They sent me to pick you up."

"What time?"

Jack looked at his watch, "In an hour."

"Gah!" Carter grabbed a throw pillow, tossing it at her CO's head, and falling back on her bed.

"I take that as a no?"

"No, I'm coming. Just wanted the satisfaction of tossing a pillow at your head."

"We have to stop by Blockbuster and Wal-Mart on the way, so chop-chop!"

"Demanding, aren't we? I'm working on it. Now out!!" Jack jabbed his thigh into the dresser as Carter pushed him aside. "Owww!" he whimpered and Sam raised an eyebrow.

"You can get shot by a Zat and not feel a thing, but lightly ramming your thigh into the dresser causes pain?" Sam asked while digging through the drawer and Jack raised another eyebrow.

"Yes, well, that's a whole different story. Chock full of clichés and such." Jack shrugged and Sam grinned as she grabbed a random tee and a fresh pair of pants. Shuffling into the bathroom, she proceeded to get changed.

Ten minutes later, Jack reclined on the couch, wondering what was taking so long. "Carter, you alive back there?" he yelled from the living room.

"Almost done!" Sam ruffled her hair and sighed as a smile crossed her lips. "Same old Jack." She shook her head and slipped the new t-shirt on. Fixing the waist on her pants slightly, Sam walked out of the bathroom, grabbing her coat.

"Finally!" Jack said as Sam plopped down on the couch beside him, her favorite tennis shoes in hand.

"Oh, shush." She furrowed her brow and smacked him lightly on the arm. She tied her pink New Balances, and stood up, grabbing Jack's keys from his hand.

* * *

Janet and Daniel were in the kitchen when Jack and Sam let themselves in. The newly engaged couple had just moved in the large two-story Victorian mere weeks before, and Daniel secretly was excited to have team night at his new home. 

Sam balanced the case of Guinness on her hip, closing the large oak door behind her. "Hi guys."

"I didn't think you would come." Janet said, watching Sam set the beer on the floor next to the refrigerator. "Are you ready for your trip?"

"I just finished packing when the Colonel stopped by to pick me up."

""I heard that Sam! It's Jack! We're on downtime, remember?" Jack shouted, from the living room, where he was putting the movie in.

"You so have selective hearing!" Sam said, rolling her eyes.

"Ne?!" he said, fully hearing what she had said. Sam and Janet appeared in the living room, carrying bowls of chips and dip, Daniel carrying three bottles of beer, one for himself, Sam, and Jack.

"Just start the movie, already!" Cassie whined from her seat in the recliner, "What did you guys pick anyway?"

"Star Wars." Jack grinned, watching Cassie's expression go from excited to scared.

"I have homework to do, I'm just gonna head upstairs now." Cassie let the footrest down, and jumped out of her seat.

"I'm joking!" Jack held up the case, "We're watching The Blue Collar Comedy Tour. I thought we could watch a funny movie."

"Oh, well, in that case, pass the popcorn."

"I thought so." Jack pressed play on the remote.

An hour later, Janet had fallen asleep on Daniel's lap, and the poor archeologist's arm was going numb from the poor circulation. He debated moving her, but just shifted his shoulder slightly, not wanting to wake her. Teal'c and Cassie were fully engrossed in the musings of Larry the Cable Guy, Cassie nearly choking on her popcorn when the bit about the flea market came on.

"It's snowing." Sam said quietly, noticing the flakes drifting by the window.

Jack lifted his head from her shoulder, furrowing his brow. "I thought it was going to hold off for a while." he shrugged, "It's not supposed to snow more than a dusting, so as long as we get you home before late, it'll be all right."

"I don't mind to leave early if you don't mind." She said, her voice turning to a whisper, "and I think I've had a little too much to drink."

"Sure, we can go ahead and go, it's almost over anyway." He said, sitting up. "Well, Danny, we're going to go ahead and leave, before the roads get slick."

"Bye everyone, I'll see you all when I get back!" Sam hugged Cassie and Teal'c and smiled at Daniel as she grabbed her coat off of the coat rack.

Once outside, Sam began to slip on the, but Jack managed to catch her from behind, "Maybe it was a good thing we left. It's getting icy out here." Taking the keys to his precious Powerstroke from her hand, Jack unlocked the doors and helped his passenger in.

There was no one on the roads in the normally bustling suburb of Colorado Springs, and quickly Jack found out why. He could feel the nearly ton truck slide under him, barely able to keep traction on the asphalt. Both sat in silence until Jack pulled up in front of Sam's house.

"Your home milady." Jack smiled and shut down the engine.

"Thanks, Jack." Sam said, her head resting on the frosty window.

"Thanks for what?"

"For the ride home, of course." Sam smirked, her eyes connecting with Jack's, "Wanna come in?"

Jack raised an eyebrow at the offer. "Nah, the roads are getting slick. I think I'll head home."

"Okay." She hung her head slightly, seemingly disappointed.

"I'll pick you up at 0500 sharp, Sam." Jack kindly reminded her as she climbed out of the truck and shut the door.


	3. Chapter 3

_Sorry for the long time between updates, but I'm almost through my first year of college::dances:: Heck yeah!_

_Hope you like, and please review! Good, bad, and helpful!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story! _

* * *

4 AM came too soon for Jack, who groaned as the all too familiar beeping of his alarm seeped into his ever wonderful dreams. Covering his eyes with a huge hand, he pulled the warm flannel sheets back up around him, not noticing the new layer of snow covering his lawn. Or the corners of the windows that had fogged through the night and there was a slight chill in the house. Kicking himself for not programming his furnace to turn on at three, he rolled out of bed. His silver streaked hair stuck in all directions, his navy sweatpants covered in white lint from his sheets.

Oh what he did for Carter. She was the one person he's do anything and everything for. He really wanted to go inside, but he knew that he'd end up doing something detrimental to both their professional and personal relationship. She wanted to babble apologies for suggesting it while he tried to reassure her it was okay. Carter buzzed was wonderful.

Sam's eyes snapped open and she stared silently at her clock; Jack had said he would pick her up at 5AM, and it was just slightly past that point in time. Shaking her head of sleep as she sat up, Samantha raised an eyebrow at the noises coming from her kitchen. "Ah!" She tossed the covers off her body, jarring herself fully awake. Grabbing the clothes she'd laid out the night before, she rushed into the bathroom, not wanting to greet Jack in a tank top and boxers. _Although it wouldn't be the first time_, she noted mentally.

Peering around the corner, Sam raised an eyebrow at the figure scrounging around in her fridge.

"I see we missed breakfast," she stated and heard a pain-filled curse as Jack knocked his head off the inside of the fridge.

"Damn it, Carter! Stop doing that!"

"Sorry."

"Bagels and cream cheese?" He held up the small container of Philadelphia cream cheese, "Morning Sam."

She rubbed one eye as she watched him gracefully catch the two halves of the bagel on a plate. "We've got to go Jack."

"That's why I brought Styrofoam. Always one step ahead Carter." He smiled and handed her the plate and a bottle of water, "Let's go."

* * *

Through tinted sunglasses, Malcolm Barrett watched his long time friend roll out of the passenger's side of O'Neill's truck. She wore a light jacket and she rubbed her arms while he fished her luggage out of the bed. Accepting her carry-on with a smile, Sam looked towards the terminal. Her smile turned into a slight look of confusion, as she swore she saw someone she knew standing by the entrance.

"Malcolm?" She shook her head, reminding herself that he was stationed at the Pentagon, certain that he was in Washington. Snow crunched under her feet as she moved to the bed of the truck.

"What?" Jack said as he scooted the bags onto the tailgate.

"Nothing, just thought I saw someone."

"I'll get the other bags, Carter, move." Jack said, slinging the duffel bag over his shoulder, and lugging the roller case behind.

"Chivalry is dead you know." Sam shut the tailgate, making sure she had everything in her backpack.

"This isn't chivalry; this is being nice." Jack said sarcastically, squinting and nodding his head.

"Fine." She said, furrowing her brow as the man she thought was Malcolm pulled his hat over his eyes and disappeared into the crowd. He'd been watching her.

"I'll wait with you, Carter." Jack said as they walked through the front of the airport, heading straight for security.

"They won't let you through." Sam reminded Jack, as she pulled her tickets, boarding pass, and ID out of her bag.

"Ah, but that's where my little friend comes in." he approached the checkpoint where a very short, yet very angry looking guard stood, checking passes and bags.

"Boarding pass?" the security guard turned to Jack, who was fishing for his military ID card.

"No boarding pass. I'm just accompanying my friend here until her plane leaves." He handed the card to the guard, who shook his head.

"No can do, sir."

"Does it not say 'Colonel' anywhere on that card? My friend here is a major, and I would like to sit with her until her plane leaves."

"Unless you have a presidential order, sorry, 'Colonel'." The guard smiled and Jack angrily reached for his cell phone.

"I can arrange that."

"No, its okay, Jack. I can sit with you out here until I have to go."

"No respect for the military." Jack grumbled as he and Carter headed off for the coffee shop next to the lounge.

"Jack, why all of the oozing niceness and concern? I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."

"Oozing niceness? I've never heard anything like that come out of your mouth. It's rather odd. Sorry, but you're going to a secluded resort outside of Cancun. Bad things go down in Cancun."

"You could've come with me."

"No, couldn't. It wouldn't look right. People would start talking."

"People are already talking."

"I don't want them to talk more. Believe me, Sam, I'd love to go with you, but it wouldn't be good for our working relationship. Besides, Danny needs a new car. The guys and I are gonna go car shopping and out for beers."

"Sounds like a blast." Sam looked down, "I guess I'll have more time to clear my head."

"And you'll come back and not be burnt out on seeing our three smiling faces. Well, two smiles and a permanent scowl."

"Teal'C smiles. Not that often, but he does. I swear. I've seen it!" Sam pointed a finger in the air to define her point as Jack opened the door to Starbucks.

As they approached the counter Jack leaned over and whispered in Sam's ear, "Wanna see these guys sweat?" Sam simply raised an eyebrow as her commanding officer placed his order. "Black coffee to go." Sam shook her head as the poor, unsuspecting clerk stood amazed at the simple order. "Black…coffee. Anything else?"

"Whatever she wants." Jack said, pointing to Carter. Sam laughed and ordered an iced mocha and a cookie.

"That's healthy."

"I'm on vacation. Healthy doesn't apply."

Sam swallowed the mouthful of iced mocha, "You could come down after you go car shopping."

"I don't really know, Like I said before, people will talk."

"And like I said before, they already are. Oh please, they've probably got rumors flying around that my engagement ring was really from you, and we were using Pete as a distraction."

"That's a pretty wild rumor."

"As wild as the time the mill spit out that Daniel and I got caught in the storage closet? As weird as when people said I posed for "The Women of the Air Force" calendar? As weird as the time they said that you had hair replacement?"

"Okay I got it!" Jack said, "I really don't know. I'll call before I come if I do. And I'm not saying I will or anything, but if I do I'll call."

Sam smiled at the idea of Jack coming, checking the time on her cell phone before taking a final drink of her mocha. "I need to get through security."

"I'll go with you."

"Jack, you really don't have to."

"I want to." He said with a faint smile, "Then I'll go."


	4. Chapter 4

_Okay, here it is, Chapter 4! Sorry for the long, long wait. I just got a new job…at McDonald's. ::sigh:: I always work the shift that takes the entire day up, and I just finally got to finish it out an do a round of proofreading. So any mistakes…sorry!!_

_Sorry if I confused any of you with the rankings, but I wrote this as a part of another story, and I kept the rankings. This story is part of an AU, one where during the Shanahan and Jacob Carter's death era, O'Neill and Carter are still Colonel and Major. _

_**Repeat. This is an AU.**_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG-1, and this was not for profit, just for fun. And anything else I failed to mention, I don't own it either!!_

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A rush of warm air brushed through Carter's short, blonde hair, the tropical sun gently kissing her pale face. The open jeep was ideal for two weeks of fun in the sun. Driving down a small, rural road towards her vacation home, she passed small fish and shrimp boats and several small marinas. She turned up the short gravel drive that led to a carport attached to the small bungalow. The building was an octagon, the outside covered in faux bamboo siding, faux palm leaves hiding the dark shingles.

As she unlocked the front door, she inhaled the salty breeze, feeling her worries already sinking into the back of her mind, or at least until the annoying melody of her cell's ring tone brought her out of the moment. She picked it up, the LCD showing Jack's number. She shook her head and answered it, "What?"

"You make it okay?" Sam furrowed her brow as she heard maniacal laughter coming from what she guessed was the passenger's side of his truck.

"Yeah…was that Daniel?"

"Yup." He breathed, pausing and then answering, "He's a little intoxicated."

"You already have gone drinking? I've only been gone for few hours."

"Well, ya know, Danny and alcohol. He had a Daiquiri and part of my Guinness at O'Malley's."

"Oh." She paused, "Well, I'm gonna get my stuff inside. I'll call you in a couple of days."

"Talk to you later, Sam." Sam flipped the cell phone shut, sighing, and shoving it into her pants pocket. She didn't need to talk to him until she was ready.

After dropping Daniel off at his house, Jack stopped at the grocery store. Slamming the heavy truck door shut, he carried the bag of groceries in one arm, reaching for his keys as he walked up his sidewalk, but when he reached to open the door it was already cracked. Quickly and instinctively he sat the bag of groceries down, dropping his keys and reaching for his weapon. As he snuck into his living room, he spotted Harry Maybourne sitting on his couch, reading a fishing magazine. "Hello, Jack."

"Maybourne, what could you possibly want?" Jack said; an angry look of disappointment on his tired face.

"I have some Intel for you Jack, so put the gun down." Harry tossed the Field & Stream onto the coffee table, "The Trust is after Major Carter."

"What?" Jack lowered the weapon, giving Maybourne an even more confused look.

"The Trust is after Major Carter, I didn't hear why, but I definitely know that they've tracked her to Cancun, and are waiting to strike."

"With the intent to kill? Where did you get this, Maybourne?" Jack was so not a happy camper, his face turning a slight shade of red.

"I have my sources, which I am not at liberty to disclose. Trust me Jack, you have to get to her before they do." Harry got up, "I have to go Jack."

Jack was deep in contemplation as the shorter man pushed past him. Jack caught his arm, "You better not have anything to do with this Maybourne." Harry simply nodded, continuing out the front door.

Laying the pistol on the table, Jack fell into a chair, rubbing his eyes. He exhaled, then it struck him; he was going to Mexico.

The sound of Latin beats mixed with the spice of high brass filled the small Mexican cantina. The Caupo Guapo Cantina. Sam wore a black bikini, a matching black sarong and flip-flop sandals. Her hair was damp and wavy after late-morning swim at her private stretch of beach. She sat at the bar, swishing the pink ice around her glass with her straw, and looking around the room. Her brow furrowed as she spotted a familiar face; it was O'Neill. That pepper hair was unmistakable. He was sitting alone, drinking a bottle of beer. She picked up her Daiquiri, heading for his table.

"Is this seat taken?" She slid into the booth, flashing one of her patented "mega-watt" smiles.

"It is now." He pulled his sunglasses off, revealing a faint tan line.

"You were the last person I expected to see today." She rested her chin in her palm, "When did you get here?"

"This morning."

"I thought you were going to go car shopping with Daniel."

"Well, I was, and then I decided that there was this hot blonde I knew, all alone in Cancun. I figured I'd come and keep her company." He said, jokingly.

"Jack," she shook her head, leaning across the table and kissing him softly. Something Jack wasn't expecting. Something that shouldn't have happened, something that was wrong, but somehow felt right.

"Sam, can we go and talk in a more private place? I have something very important to tell you." He took a final swig of the beer.

"I have my own Bungalow, there's a nice little hammock out back."

"Sweet. Come on let's go." He offered his hand, and Sam took it. _She's definitely not drinking any more today. _

Malcolm Barrett sat across the bar, hidden behind a cowboy hat and a tall bottle of Corona. He smiled to himself; _he could carry out two missions in one_.

O'Neill and Carter walked along the beach, shoulder to shoulder. O'Neill held his sandals in one hand, the other stuffed into his shorts pocket.

"You know, Sir, this could be made out to be…"

"Be what Carter, against the regs?"

"Well, yeah."

"Carter, have you ever heard the old saying, 'What Happens in Mexico, Stays in Mexico'?"

"I thought you hated clichés."

"This one I tend to like." Sam simply laughed at the older man's always changing opinion, Jack grabbing her hand. "The original reason why I came was because of some Intel I received." Jack took a deep breath, stopping. "Maybourne told me the Trust was after you. I've come to protect you."

"My knight in shining armor." Sam said sarcastically, "Is it soooo bad to admit that you came to see me?"

"Really, Carter, I came here to extract you. It's not safe, so please, come back to Colorado Springs."

"Jack, I've been here for two days. Nothing suspicious has happened, I'm staying. If you want to protect me, then you'll have to do it here."

"Sam, please."

"Jack." Sam said stubbornly, her arms crossed defiantly. "I'm not going back. Either you stay or you go, it's that simple. You're already here, so let's just stay. Please, for me." Jack hung his head, covering his chocolate eyes with a rough hand.

"You know what, ok. You can stay. I will stay, but the second we notice anything, and I mean anything, out of the ordinary we catch the earliest flight back to the States."


	5. Chapter 5

_Oh, joy. This chapter is short, but it's probably what some of you are waiting on ::wink, wink:: I've been really busy, and between intermittent computer problems and work, it's taken a long time to write. I know yer chompin' at the bits for a next chapter, so here ya go!! Oh, and thanks for all the wonderful feedback! I 3 you guys!!_

_Warning: This is unbeta'd. So, basically, if I missed it, sorry!! Let me know if you find anything major._

_Disclaimer: I really don't own anything in this story. No money was made or anything._

* * *

Jack O'Neill was not a man to back down. But he knew Sam wanted to stay so badly. So he would do the next best thing, make damn sure nobody hurt her. He watched her sleep from the couch in the corner of the lone bedroom. She was…peaceful. Every time he'd watched her, it had always been a fitful sleep, full of haunting nightmares. Tonight her face was still, the grimaces of mental pain gone. Her chest rose and fell at a slow, steady pace, and she snored slightly. Which made Jack smile. _Two days and no action. Another slightly reassuring thought. _

He rolled off the low, comfortable couch, straightening his shorts. The light blanket that was pooled at his hips fell onto the floor as he silently slipped through the lone bedroom's door.

The moon cast a sow glow on the landscape below, making for a surreal scene for anyone who ventured into twilight. Jack grabbed the balcony railing, leaning and watching the ocean dance under the stars. His mind was a clutter of emotions, the most prominent fear. It would be much easier to protect her under the mountain, but she wouldn't her tell of such a thing. Her broken heart was set on staying in this tropical paradise, he couldn't blame her. Colorado held too many painful memories from the last few months. Jacob, Pete.

A warm breath on the back of his neck caused his hair to stand on end, but he didn't jump. "Jack?" It was Sam. She leaned backwards on the railing next to him. "You seem upset, something wrong?" her blue eyes met his dark ones, and he hung his head.

"No, no. Everything's just peachy." He lied, and she knew he was lying. And without a word from her he continued on, "I'm just as confused as you are Sam. I don't know what to do, honestly. It's been, what, four years since the zatarc thing. I've tried and tried to leave everything in that room, it's not working. I do know that I want to kiss you now, but I'd be violating at least five different regulations."

Sam's frown of concern quickly became a grin of mischief, "So? What happens in Mexico stays in Mexico." She bent forward and kissed him lightly, her lips barely brushing his, "And this happened in Mexico." She snaked a hand around his hips, dipping her thumb into the waistband of his shorts, kissing his bare chest. He said nothing, just ran a hand under her nightshirt, tracing lines of fire across her smooth back.

Across the football field sized beach, perched on a cliff overlooking the sea, Barrett trained the night vision scope of his sniper rifle on the pair. He picked his target, but before he could get a clear shot, the couple had already retreated inside. "Damn," he cursed to himself. He would have to catch them again, hopefully where he could take care of them quietly. And he knew from that little show they wouldn't be out anytime soon.

* * *

Jack O'Neill noted that in the morning light, she looked like an angel. Her hair tousled by his hands, a crisp white sheet wrapped around her thin figure. She was facing him, her head on his chest, slowly moving up and down with each breath that he took. Mexico turned out to be all he hoped for. Two days after showing up, there'd been no sign of Malcolm, or any other suspicious people. Or aliens, for that matter. He'd just crossed the line he'd been walking for the last eight years. And the best of all, she loved him just as much as he loved her. 

He felt her move, a sudden weight lifting off of his bare chest, his chocolate eyes meeting sleepy blue ones, "Good morning." She smiled and yawned an incoherent response before rolling over.

"Want breakfast?" He wrapped an arm around her, nuzzling her ear, "Come on, let's get up."

"No," she whined, pulling a pillow over her messy head. Jack simply shook his head, before rolling off the bed and pulling his boxers back on. Sam unburied her head, watching Jack disappear into the bathroom. She sighed and pulled the covers closer, catching a few more minutes of sleep. "Jack?" she shouted after she realized she couldn't sleep any longer.

"Yeah?" he answered above the sound of running water.

"Is this going to stay in Mexico?"

"No."

"That's what I thought. I don't know how to go back to 'Sir' and 'Carter'." She admitted, her heart sinking at the thought that this paradise was going to end eventually.

"We'll figure it out. We can hide it, I can retire, and there are a variety of options." Sam shook her head at Jack's solution. There were only two options: someone had to retire, or a presidential pardon. The second of which was not a likely scenario.

Jack emerged again, sporting nothing but a Simpson's beach towel secured around his hips. Sam smiled to herself, silently promising that shouldn't worry about the consequences of her vacation. She crawled out of the queen sized bed, dropping the sheet. She wrapped her arms around his waist, placing a trail of kisses down his back. It was a vacation after all!

* * *

Malcolm, still in his stake-out position, knew that they would have to come outside eventually, so he decided to stay and attempt the shot again. His black outfit really didn't provide any camouflage against the grey rocks. He hit the deck, his new position still giving him a clear view of the balcony, beach, and vehicle. And so he watched, waiting for either of his targets to step outside. 


	6. Chapter 6

_I'm not a very good "bad people/death plot" writer, so I tried to write this to make sense. I have been sooo busy, it's not even funny. I hope this short chapter helps you hang on to the story. But it seems in the show that they get lucky all the time, so I guess Malcolm just has bad aim…..IDK_

_I apologize again, I just lost sight of this story, so it's still on a sort of hiatus. This is un beta'd so all mistakes are mine; please tell me if you find any major flaws (besides the bad action sequence!!)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own SG1 or Corona._

* * *

Through Malcolm's scope, he watched as Carter fished a cold Corona out of the cooler beside the swinging hammock, twisting the tiny metal cap off of the bottle and tossing it to the ground. Her short hair was drying in the midday heat, as was her swimsuit. Jack lay beside her, a half empty bottle in his free hand.

"Hey, I've got to get something from inside, be back in a sec." Carter untangled herself from Jack, wrestling herself out of her side of the hammock, clearing up the empty beer bottles. This was the moment Malcolm was waiting for. His sights rested on Sam's right side; a sickened grin crossing is face as he pulled the trigger.

"Hey, you wa-," Carter stopped short. She pitched forward; an audible 'ugh' of pain was heard as her body hit the ground.

"Sam!" Jack fell out of his side of the hammock, crawling through the sand, a gasping Carter clutching her bleeding shoulder. Jack scoured the cliff, "That has to be where the shot came from." His eyes stopped when he caught the gleam of the rifle's scope among the rocks. "Gotcha." He figured that if he ran in the opposite direction, in a zigzag motion that the apparently untrained sniper would have a hard time of locking on him.

"Carter, I know this is gonna hurt like a son of a bitch, but I'm gonna grab you and run around the corner of the house." He said. His hands shook as he brushed the hair out of her face. Sam nodded, her eyebrows furrowed in pain. He struggled upward, picking her up and scurrying around the house. Carter was in shock, as most people would be after being shot by a high powered rifle, and he needed to get her to the jeep. Remembering his pistol in the house, he laid Sam on the sandy slope, out of the sights of the sniper. He made a run for the front door of the house, snatching the keys off the counter and rushing through the bedroom to get his Beretta.

He slid sown the dune to find Sam passed out, still bleeding. As much as he hated to move her, she couldn't stay behind as he searched for Malcolm. Scooping her up, he took off for the jeep. Carefully, he laid her in the passenger's side, jogging around the front of the SUV. He would have to punch it to get out of the sniper's range. He threw the jeep into reverse, backing out into the gravel road, the roasted the tires and he shifted into drive and accelerated to clear the danger zone.

He checked Sam's pulse, weak, but still there. He silently thanked God that he'd gotten away. He kept on until he hit the small resort town. Luckily the hospital was the biggest building there, so he pulled in quickly. He pulled the passenger's side open, scooping up the weakening Colonel, and carrying her hurriedly inside.

* * *

Jack pulled the payphone receiver off it's hook angrily, mentally bashing himself for not making Carter return to the SGC. He dialed the base number, then hearing the friendly sergeant rattle of his usual speech. "General Hammond, please. This is Colonel O'Neill. It's urgent!"

"Yes sir." The sergeant said quickly. O'Neill folded his arms across the top of the payphone box, cradling the bridge of his nose in the crook of his thumb.

"Colonel O'Neill?" Hammond said, his voice concerned.

"We've got a situation sir. Carter's been shot. I have her at a hospital, but I have an idea who it was. I don't have a secure phone line. Our cell phones are in the beach house." O'Neill's voice was soft. "I request that the rest of SG-1 be here."

"Is she able to be moved?" Hammond asked.

"No sir. She's in surgery now."

"Teal'c and Daniel are going to be there in a few hours. They can aid in your search."

"Thanks, General."

_Again I'm sooooooo sorry for the wait for this measly chapter, but I figured I'd give you a little food for thought. Will they catch Malcolm? Are Daniel and Teal'C coming alone? Next time, guys! I promise!_


	7. Chapter 7

Alrighty guys, I've been busy. So I've turned out this little peice to hold you over. This is very short, but I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate!!

* * *

The Mexican hospital room was bland and uncomforting, certainly a departure from home. At least at home he knew exactly what was going on, but the Mexican surgeon hadn't been by to let him know exactly what was going on. He buried his face in his rough hands.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

The monotone droning of the hospital machines were driving O'Neill mad. He'd stayed by Carter's bedside since she'd gotten out of surgery, which had been over two hours ago. Malcolm could be anywhere by now, and it made him livid just thinking about it. He was going to kill that man, and he didn't care what consequences were going to be.

_Why would Malcolm Barrett, NID, Carter's friend, follow her to Mexico and stakeout her vacation home for three days? Then attempt an assassination? God, I should've made her come back to Colorado._ Jack rubbed his eyes. He needed another vending machine Honey bun.

The hall was empty for the most part; a couple of nurses doing rounds passed and offered a quiet hello as O'Neill passed by them. He fumbled through the content of his pocket, until he found the correct amount of change to feed the machine. He pressed the correct selection, and tiredly reached in a pulled out a Mexican honey-bun.

"Jack." O'Neill turned on a heel to see Daniel and Teal'C behind him.

"Took you long enough."

"We left as soon as we could, O'Neill." Teal'C said, stoically. Jack and Daniel just shrugged it off.

"He's gone by now, I know it." O'Neill threw up both hands in frustration. "I don't get any of this really."

"Jack, maybe we should move this little meeting back into Sam's room." Daniel said. A lone nurse that was obviously eavesdropping noticed that Daniel had spotted her, and she disappeared into the room she was loitering by.


	8. Chapter 8

Jack opened the door gently, leading Daniel and Teal'c into Carter's room. There were no extra chairs, so the two found a spot along the wall. Noticing the white, bleak, hospital walls, Daniel thought they seemed eerily similar to those of the SGC's infirmary. The random beeps were unnerving, making an already tense situation all the more so.

Crossing his arms, Daniel began to speak, instantly breaking the quietness of the room. His voice seemed too loud, even though it was almost a whisper.

"We've put out the word about Malcolm. Hammond issued a 'hold for questioning' on his passport, so we should've cut him off from normal modes of transportation," Daniel said, "We'll find him," he added, casting a worried, sideways glance at Jack.

"What I don't get is why he, of all people, is after Sam," Jack grumbled to himself, unaware he had been thinking out loud.

"He may be under Goa'uld control, O'Neill."

Hearing Teal'c say his name, Jack almost cursed himself for speaking to himself. Jack rubbed the end of his nose in thought, considering what Teal'c had said. "That would be the most likely option. Malcolm isn't a sniper. He's not very good shot anyway…"

Jack stopped himself in mid-sentence and raised an eyebrow. "He's in a good position. Just high enough in the NID to matter, but yet, low key enough to be able to get by us. Especially being her friend."

"We checked his flight plan down here. He was on another flight, and arrived a day after she did," Daniel said and Jack froze.

"Oh God..." Jack said, "I remember, while we were unloading the truck at the airport, she said that she thought she saw Barrett."

"It would seem that Major Carter was correct."

The shrill of Daniel's cell phone cut the awkward silence, and he hurriedly dug in his pocket to answer it in time. Flipping it open, Daniel moved quietly into the hallway. Pressing it to his ear, he spoke quietly.

"Tell me what you've got Walter," Daniel whispered as a nurse gave him an odd look as she went by.

"Daniel, airport security had a flag appear on Barrett's passport. The head of security said that they don't have the authority to hold him for questioning. They notified us that his flight is headed for the United States; it leaves in about an hour," Walter said and Daniel nodded.

"Thanks, Walt."

"No problem. We'll keep you posted," Walter said and ended the conversation first. Flipping his phone shut, Daniel slipped back into the hospital room and began speaking to Jack.

"They've got him at the airport. But they aren't authorized to hold him for questioning; his flight doesn't leave for an hour. So, if you hurry, you can catch him."

"Not authorized? Well, I'm authorized, so I'll go," Jack almost growled as he stood from the chair beside Carter's bed, "They didn't take my weapon. Stay here. I'll call when I get him."

Across town, Barrett sat in the terminal, keeping a constant lookout for anything suspicious. It was almost time for the passengers to board, and he was still in the clear.

Jack tore through the airport, trying to reach the gate where Malcolm should have been. An announcement spread through the terminal as Jack fought to get to the gate before Malcolm did.

"Now boarding rows 1-10, Flight 1243 to San Francisco."

That was the flight he was looking for. Plowing over a couple of unsuspecting travelers when he spotted Barrett heading for the gate, Jack resisted the urge to draw his weapon; he didn't want to land in jail. He made it to the boarding pass lady, trying to press pass and grab his target's arm. But as he didn't anticipate, the security stopped him.

"Get out of my way. There's an order for a hold for questioning on one of your passengers. He's a threat to United States national security, move!"

The guard wouldn't let him go, and as the guard unwisely let him go to retrieve his handcuffs, Jack ran past the counter, and towards the hatch of the plane. The door shut in his face, and he knocked and beat on the aircraft's door, but no one opened it.

And now, Malcolm Barrett was free to get to the United States.

As the security officer reached to grab him again, Jack searched for his wallet, "I'm a United States Air Force officer, I was sent to apprehend one of your passengers. And thanks, by the way, you let him go." He showed his military ID card. The guard simply huffed and helped him up. He didn't look convinced.

"Sir… I'm going to have to escort you to the front doors," the guard said and Jack growled in frustration as he grabbed the phone from the secretary.

"Call the embassy; you'll get your answers there. And I'll gladly escort myself out the door," Jack said and jerked his arm out of the guards grip.


End file.
